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Margaret Thompson
Margaret Catherine Sheila Thompson, née Rohan, formerly Schroeder, is the second main character in Boardwalk Empire after Nucky Thompson and as of the end of the third season has appeared in all but one episode, "Two Imposters". She is played by Scottish actress Kelly MacDonald. A resident of Atlantic City, Margaret is an Irish immigrant of poor, rural background whose relation to the family she left there as a teenager is non-existent. She is the widow of an abusive husband, Hans Schroeder, and has two surviving children, Teddy and Emily. Although smart and with an interest in politics which led her to join the Women's Temperance League and the League of Women Voters, Margaret's main motivation is to secure a source of income that can provide for her and her children and will put back her ideals if she needs to achieve it. Her fortunes greatly improve when she becomes the domestic partner and eventual wife of Atlantic City crime boss Nucky Thompson, but the guilt over his actions soon grows to be too much to bear for her. Biography Background Margaret was born Margaret Catherine Sheila Rohan in County Kerry, Ireland circa 1893"Family Limitation" and retains a strong Irish accent. She was the first daughter and second child born to a family of poor Catholic farmers. She has an older brother, Eamonn, and three younger sisters: Nuala, Bethany (known as Beth) and Aylesh."Peg of Old" Her father was an alcoholic, at one point selling the family cow to pay for his addiction,"The Pony" and often got into arguments with her mother."Peg of Old" in 1909. ("Family Limitation")]]Margaret's father died shortly before or after the birth of Aylesh in 1909, when Margaret was 16. Left in poverty and having to raise three young girls, the family began to save money to send Eamonn to America for better opportunities. Margaret also began to work as a maid in the house of a rich, Protestant banister named Mr Walton. The place had a large library and according to Margaret her employer let her read whatever she wished, George Sand's novels being an example."The Ivory Tower" This way, Margaret acquired a culture far larger than her upbringing could have offered. At the same time, she began a romantic relationship with the attorney's son, Douglas, and became pregnant with her child - changing Margaret's life forever. Margaret was unable to conceal the pregnancy from her family and taken to see the local priest for advice. When inquired she refused to name the baby's father and claimed that she had been raped (which wasn't true) but she was not believed. The priest decided that she should be sent to a Magdalene Asylum to reform her morals. Margaret could not bear this fate and after her brother decided to not interfere in her favor she stole her mother's savings intended for him and used the money to emigrate to America herself."Peg of Old" She left Ireland on the passenger ship Haverford from the port of Galway on 27 September 1909, which after a detour in Southampton, England,"Two Boats and a Lifeguard" arrived on New York City. Margaret miscarried during the voyage in steerage, and her Ellis Island immigration file includes a medical assessment containing these details."Family Limitation" Margaret never wrote back to Ireland and only kept in touch with a fellow immigrant cousin, Martin Hennessey, from whom she knew years later that her mother had died."Peg of Old" in 1916, with Teddy aged 2 and newborn Emily. ("Georgia Peaches")]]Some time later she moved to Atlantic City and married baker's assistant Hans Schroeder, an immigrant from Germany. Unlike Margaret, Hans managed to lose his accent and would criticize his wife for sounding like if she had just got off the boat."Boardwalk Empire" The two had two children: Teddy Schroeder, born in 1914, and Emily Schroeder, born in 1916. At the start of the series in January 1920, Margaret is pregnant for a fourth time and lives with her family in a small, humble house in the Fourth Ward of Atlantic City. She is a member of the Women's Temperance League, due in part to the controlling, abusive nature of her alcoholic and gambling addicted husband. Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Relationships Family *Hans Schroeder: Husband (deceased) *Nucky Thompson: Second Husband *Elias "Eli" Thompson: Brother-in-law *Emily Schroeder: Daughter *Teddy Schroeder: Son *Eamonn Rohan: Brother *Nuala Rohan: Sister *Bethany Rohan: Sister *Aylesh Rohan: Sister Staff *Owen Sleater: Lover, Nucky's driver *Katy: Housemaid *Lillian: Governess for children *Pauleen: Ex-employee *Eddie Kessler: Nucky's assistant *Harlan: Nucky's valet Personal life *Douglas Walton: Father of first child *Father Brennan: Priest *Annabelle: Former neighbour *Nan Britton: Mistress of Warren Harding, former houseguest *Edith Mauer: Former neighbour *Mrs McGarry: Leader of the Atlantic City Women's Temperance League Memorable Quotes *(To Nucky) "I would be honored to name my child after you." ("Boardwalk Empire") *''"I've been lectured to a great deal today by men who speak boldly and do nothing."'' *Lucy: "So what is the point?" **Margaret: "...that maybe your cuny isn't quite the draw you think it is.................I quit." ("Family Limitation") *''"It's three-thirty bearcat. Get a wiggle on."'' *''"You did what you wanted, Peg. You always have." (Brother Eamonn on Margaret) ("Peg of Old") *"You're honest are you?... Never take more than you need. Never talk back to the priest or the boss or the policeman. Never question. Never make a fuss. Never dare to stand up for me... your own flesh and blood. Who begged you for help when she'd nowhere else to turn. And you're proud of it." ("Peg of Old") *"What do they say on Broadway? The show must go on." ("Bone for Tuna") *"He has a mistress. An actress in New York. He's there half the week. We hardly talk. He's involved in doings I can't bear to think about. He blames me. I blame him. And I feel like... the life is being pressed out of me." ''("Sunday Best") Appearances References Category:Atlantic City Category:Characters Category:Concubines Category:Domestic servants Category:Housewives Category:Irish people Category:Main Characters Category:Margaret Thompson Category:Memorable Quotes Category:Salespersons Category:Season 1 Category:Season 2 Category:Season 3 Category:Women's Temperance League